Clamoring for the Upper Hand
by silentmusic16
Summary: Maki believes she has the upper hand when Nico is late for their date once again. Things, of course, are not as simple as she'd like to imagine.


**In order to get over a terrible mental block and finally finish at least one of the fics I'm currently working on, I gave myself a challenge last night - to finish an entire oneshot in one hour. This was the outcome of that (plus edit/revising time, but that doesn't count).**

 **I don't own the series, nor do I own the cover picture.**

 **Enjoy!**

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It wasn't a crowded night at the small bar where Maki awaited Nico's arrival. A few singles sat seats away from one another at the shiny wooden counter-top, behind which a gray-haired bartender polished glasses with practiced inattentiveness. Sitting in one of the booths in the back was a group of young women celebrating their friend's birthday quietly, matching the comfortable low-energy feel of the bar. Couples sat together at high round tables in a voluntary isolation from the rest of the bar patrons; Maki sat alone at one of these couple-tables with a growing sense of embarrassment at being alone. With a nervous gulp she finished her second drink of the night.

There was no telling when Nico would show up - there never was. Maki glanced at her leather-banded watch every few moments with increasing annoyance, as if every second that the smaller girl was late added another ounce of anger to the redhead's blood. Currently she had a few good pounds of anger weighing her down from this incident alone. She continued to wait. She didn't really have a choice.

Maki dressed well that night. In a simple white blouse covered with a gray cardigan and a pair of dark jeans she looked both fashionable and casual. A few of the bar-goers, both men and women, were giving her looks from across the room. She took a secret confidence in this, even if the only person she really hoped to impress was her girlfriend.

The low murmur of the bar-goers mingled harmoniously with simple jazz tunes flowing from the overhead speakers, but this harmony wasn't long to last. As if she lacked any form of social grace Nico banged open the door on her way in. A loud, groaning gust of wind followed the girl and rushed the winter inside. Nico made her way to Maki's small table in the back and pulled out her chair with a loud screech. The older girl looked adorable in her red pleated skirt and knitted white sweater, bundled up with a scarf and gloves. Maki took a deep breath to calm her fiery nerves.

"Sorry I'm late Maki! But I'm sure waiting for the great Nico-Nico-Nii is an honor." She smirked.

Maki was having none of it. "You're late _every_ _time_ we meet up for a date, Nico. I _do_ have things to do with my life too, I hope you realize."

"I know, I know. I'm really sorry."

The redhead crossed her arms, but only played at her continued annoyance. Her anger melted away when she saw that irritatingly cute face, those annoyingly wonderful eyes, that pulse-pounding smile. Maki just knew that the only way to _eventually_ bend Nico to her will was by giving the girl an attitude.

"Do you remember what today is, Nico?" Maki asked, peering straight into the older girl's bright ruby eyes.

Nico leaned back in her chair confidently. "'Course I do, Maki. How could I forget?"

"Okay. What is it?"

Nico opened her mouth once, twice, without speaking - like a fish gasping for breath. She couldn't hide the confusion in her eyes.

The redhead fingered the small velvet box in her pocket and gave the other girl a disappointing grimace. "Nico, I know that you're busy recording an album, but you really ought to remember that there are other important things in life."

"I-I do! I was just teasing you!"

"Then what is it? Today, I mean."

Another bout of silence. The bar had filled up more since Nico's arrival. A few customers pointed in disbelief at the mere sight of the small, black-haired girl. Who could've guessed that they'd be blessed with the presence of a famous idol that night?

Nico took a deep breath before dropping her confident idol act entirely. "Look, Maki, I'm really sorry. I have no idea what today is. I've been so busy that I can barely remember what the actual _date_ is, let alone what it's supposed to mean to me. Can't you just tell me?"

The redhead internally cheered at her victory over her girlfriend's over-inflated ego, but outwardly sighed. She had to keep up appearances. "It's our anniversary, Nico. We started dating 3 years ago today. Was that so hard to remember?"

Nico tapped her temple with her knuckles. "Oh, right! Happy anniversary, Maki!"

Finally the redhead smiled. Not only did she have Nico on the ropes, but she was also the only one, she was sure, with an anniversary gift. She finally had the upper hand on the other girl.

"Well if you're _really_ sorry - "

"I am, I am." Nico pleaded.

"Then I guess I can give you this." Maki reached into her pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. She looked away, blushing, and handed it across the table to the older girl. Nico took the box in her hand gingerly and raised the cover. Inside gleamed a beautiful silver and gold necklace with the insignia of the idol group both girls used to belong to - μ's. Nico smiled a genuine smile, quite unlike the fake, professional one that she gave fans.

"Thank you, Maki. It's really beautiful."

"I just felt like I had to get you something nice. We _are_ dating after all."

"And that's _exactly_ why I got you something even better."

Nico's smirk returned to it's natural position on her face; she leaned forward in her chair, and Maki recoiled in shock. No - there was no way that Nico beat her. She didn't even remember that it was their anniversary! Or - _no!_ She'd been played all along. Tricked by the small girl grinning from ear to ear with untamed confidence.

"Wondering what it is?" Nico asked. The redhead didn't know whether to nod or shake her head in response.

"Too bad, you're about to learn what the great Nico-nii got for her _exceptionally_ cute girlfriend."

Before Maki could even respond Nico slid a key across the tabletop, where it clinked against the redhead's empty glass with a resonating sound.

"Guess who's moving into an apartment together now that I got an advance on my album sales~?"

Maki could barely utter a reply. Her eyes grew wide and her fingers twitched towards and away from the key. She wanted this so bad, but it came at the cost of admitting her loss to Nico.

"That's right Maki! We're officially living together!"

"A-and what if I say no?" the redhead stuttered. She couldn't look the shorter girl in the eyes. Both women knew that there was no way that Maki would deny the very gift she'd been pestering Nico for for years now.

"You certainly won't. You know you love me too much to say no."

The redhead only blushed harder. Internally she cursed; how had she lost to Nico? How had the always-late, over-confident, smirking little bundle of nightmares that she loved have one-upped her?

Before either girl could continue the conversation, there rang out a small applause in the bar, and then a louder one as more and more people joined in. Nico knew she won, and leaned over to give Maki a quick, unsuspected kiss - which only served to bring more clapping and hollering.

How could she even out the score? Maki wondered. It was a good thing she still had a trick up her sleeve, then. Without warning she pulled Nico in for a longer, stronger embrace. She was glad to have made the world famous idol turn as red as her own hair, and in front of so many fans no less.

She was happy enough to call that a tie.

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 **It's certainly nothing special, but it was refreshing to get something done finally.**

 **Criticism and reviews are always greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!**


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